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Manner-Man by Sherrill S. Cannon and Illustrated by Kalpart

[I received a review copy of this book from the author. No other compensation was received.]

Wouldn’t it be awesome if, when you’re at the park and children aren’t being nice, a superhero would swoop down and literally teach them some manners?

“He teachers good manners, so take his advice: If someone starts shoving, just shout out ‘Not Nice!'”

Manner-Man is a multi-award winning book that indulges my son completely! I will happily take all the help I can get when it comes to promoting good behavior and manners. The story is told in verse and talks about situations such as when another child takes a toy without asking, fighting, shoving, and bullying. Manner-Man is also very empowering — giving children skills and a call to action to join the Manner-Man team. There’s even a Manner-Man badge at the end of the book or you can write to Sherrill Cannon and request a Manner-Man sticker. This additional step made my son feel officially part of the Manner-Man team and he takes it VERY seriously. Saying “please” and “thank you” and being nice are definitely superpowers and it is a lot of fun watching my son run around the park pretending to be Manner-Man. This book has my son’s number!

Title: Manner-Man

Author: Sherrill S. Cannon

Illustrator: Kalpart

Strategic Book Publishing. 2013. Fiction. ISBN: 978-1622124787

Suitable For Ages: 3 – 8

Themes/Topics:

Manners, Bullying, Friendship

Opening:

“I was unhappy, for Rob took my toy, just grabbed it away with a look full of joy. So I told my mother who said, “That’s not nice,” and then tried to give me some helpful advice.”

Brief Synopsis:

A little boy is tired of having other children be mean and selfish. He has a dream that a superhero, Manner-Man, comes and saves him from ill-behaved children and also teaches everyone how important it is to be nice. The next day on the playground, when a child is being mean, he calls upon Manner-Man. To his surprise, Manner-Man arrives and helps him by giving all of the children skills in what to say and do when they encounter a situation where someone isn’t being kind. All of the children learn and then become part of the Manner-Man team!

Links To Resources:

Teacher Planet has a great page with Lesson Plans, Activities, and additional resources.

Why I Like Manner-Man and Why You Should Read It:

I’m impressed with how much my son loves this book. He loves the superhero aspect of it and he loves the call to action to join the Manner-Man team.

It has a happy and uplifting message that gives practical advice through a medium that is accessible and engaging.

“Tell your friend, ‘Wait, please, until I am done; Then I will share, and we’ll both have more fun.'”

I appreciate that in this story, even children who have been ill-behaved in the past are given an opportunity to change and become part of the Manner-Man team.

The fact that the story is told in verse makes it eminently quotable and memorable. My son quotes bits from Manner-Man constantly.

It’s about a superhero that teaches manners!!!! Yes, please!

My son placed his Manner-Man sticker on the front of his construction hat that he wears everywhere. He tells everyone that he is part of the Manner-Man team. He is a walking, talking advertisement for Manner-Man and I’m more than fine with it.

I still have to tell him to share — but I have the Manner-Man book AND sticker to back me up. “Remember, you’re part of the team! You need to share! You’ll have more fun!” I am always surprised that it works — but it does!

Sherrill Cannon has written several books (Gimme-Jimmy, The Magic Word) about children learning to share and to being polite. Each of the characters are in this book as well. My son enjoyed recognizing the characters from the other books in this one.

It’s a picture book that is working hard to give children important skills for difficult situations — and asking them to do their best to make other people’s lives better, too.

The story is over the top and in no way subtle — but is so perfectly presented that my son eats up every single word.

Manner-Man takes a child’s deep desires to be or be befriended by a superhero with a parent’s deep desires to have a polite child and combines it into a fun story. Be prepared to reread this story to your child over and over again.

Book Trailer:

Author/Illustrator Websites:

More Reviews of this Book:

Where Obtained: I received a review copy from the author. No other compensation was received.I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

FTC Disclosures: Some of the links in the post above are Amazon affiliate links and others are IndieBound affiliate links. If you click on the link and purchase something, I will receive an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. Which goes to fund my family’s picture book habit. It’s a vicious cycle, but we manage. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

It really is! I was so surprised by how much my son dug this book. He really likes that there’s a superhero that swoops down and uses magic words. It’s fun! Now if only we can have Clean-Up-Your-Room-Man and Don’t-Forget-to-Say-Excuse-Me-After-You-Burp-Man we’d be set! 🙂

I think Manner Man appeals to a child’s sense of justice, don’t you think? So often, kids turn away from books that are attempting to teach them how to behave. They feel like they’re being preached to by their parents. This seems different, doesn’t it?

You’re absolutely right. It does appeal to their sense of justice. It does seem different — it isn’t preachy — it is a superhero coming in to help in difficult situations. I think it also appeals to the desire to be a helper and to be part of something bigger than ourselves.

Ooooh, Little Critter. I’ll have to check that one out. I loved Little Critter growing up — I’ll have to find it. I think my son will dig it, too! Thank you for the recommendation! It’ll be fun to share this with him.

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